Relatives

Poa attenuata Trin. - Bluegrass.

Systematic position.

Family Poaceae Barnhart, genus Poa L.

Synonyms.

P. alberti Regel, P. dahurica Trin., P. juldusicola Regel, Sesleria pavlovii Litv.

Morphology and biology.

Perennial, dense-tussock, gray-green, hard grass. Height reaches 5-80 cm. Forms thin, erect, smooth or rough rising runners with leaves in the middle. Upper node is located in the lower sixth of the stem near the base. Leaf is 0.5-1.5 mm wide, short, hard. Lingula is 1.5-2 mm long, obtuse. Inflorescence is a narrow, contracted panicle 4-7 cm long with slightly rough branches. Spikelet is 3-4.5 cm long, lanceolate, green or violet, with 3-5 flowers. Lower floral glume is a bit downy along the keel and extremity veins, bare between veins. Cross-pollinated and wind-pollinated. Flowering and ripening occurs in June-July. Seed and vegetative reproduction. Chromosomal number 2n=28, 42.

Distribution.

Occurs in Western Siberia (Altai), Eastern Siberia (southern part), Middle Asia (Dzhungarskii Alatau, mountain ridge Tarbagatai, north and central Tien Shan), China (west), and Mongolia.

Ecology.

Species occurs on stony slopes and in mountain steppes. It occurs in plant communities of the middle and upper mountain zones and also along the Baikal coast.

Economic value.

Good forage plant.

Reference citations:

Cherepanov S.K. 1988. Plantae Vasculares Rossicae et Civitatum Collimitanearum (in limics USSR olim) [List of Vascular Plants of Russia]. St. Petersburg: Mir I Semia. 990 pp. (In Russian)
Kovalevskaja S.S., ed. 1968. Conspect of Middle Asia Flora. Vol. 1. Taschkent: Publishing House Acad. Sci. Uzbekistan SSR, 226 p. (In Russian)
Malyshev L.I., Peshkova G.A., eds. 1990. Flora of Siberia. Vol. 2. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 361 pp. (in Russian).
Pavlov N.V., ed. 1956. Flora of Kazakhstan. Alma-Ata: Publishing House Acad. Sci. Kazakhstan SSR, 354 pp. (In Russian)
Tzvelev N.N. 1976. Poaceae USSR. Leningrad: Nauka, 788 pp. (In Russian)

© V.G. Funtova

Photo © L.E. Kolesnikov (specimens from the herbarium of the V.L. Komarov Botanic Institute)
 

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